http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/108878/lockheed-flies-360_degree-ir-sensor-on-small-uav.html

Lockheed Martin Flies First 360-Degree Infrared Sensor on Small Unmanned Aircraft System


(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued October 8, 2009)


EAGAN, Minn. --- Lockheed Martin recently completed a successful test of a new infrared sensor turret aboard its Desert Hawk III Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), marking the first time a small UAS has flown with a 360-degree infrared sensor.

Battle-proven, the hand-launched Desert Hawk III has provided the British Army with critical Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The small UAS (54-inch wingspan) is specifically designed to operate at high altitudes, in high winds and extreme temperatures.

Successful flight tests of the Desert Hawk III's new payload offering, held September 23- 24 at the Minnesota National Guard's Camp Ripley unmanned vehicle proving grounds, validate the UAS's ability to greatly improve nighttime ISR for ground forces. By providing 360-degree infrared coverage, troops obtain greater target location accuracy and superior image stability. Combined with an upgraded 360-degree color Electro Optic (E/O) sensor, operators gained 10 times continuous zoom capability, significantly aiding in contact identification.

"To assist the warfighter, we have miniaturized the infrared payload, so it fits into a turret weighing less than two pounds," said John Nikolai, director of electronic products & logistics at Lockheed Martin's Tactical Systems business in Eagan, MN. "The E/O camera has been upgraded as well, for improved target identification. With the introduction of these sensor capabilities, users will experience vastly improved nighttime situational awareness."

Lockheed Martin's Desert Hawk III features an open architecture environment and consists of a lightweight, hand-launched, ruggedized air vehicle with snap-on Plug and Playloads, a portable ground station and a remote video terminal. The snap-on payload capability allows a single operator to swap sensors on the air vehicle in less than one minute to meet immediate and rapidly changing mission requirements.

Currently, the Desert Hawk III offers five modular capability payloads for mission flexibility. The payloads include a 360-degree turret with a mix of E/O and/or black and white low-light imagers, an infrared stabilized imager in a roll axis out to 90 degrees, a signals intelligence sensor, the new 360-degree infrared sensor and the upgraded 360-degree E/O imager with continuous zoom.


Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

-ends-

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope people undesrtand that this is in one plan only, not 360*X360*.

Thunder Supports Rafale
http://rafale.freeforums.org
http://rafale.freeforums.org/rafale-vs-f-16-aerodynamics-compared-t69.html

^^^Come back when France develops something similar.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We already have better.

Thunder Supports Rafale
http://rafale.freeforums.org
http://rafale.freeforums.org/rafale-vs-f-16-aerodynamics-compared-t69.html

^^^Come back when France develops something similar.
---
Actually France did, 10 years ago and it was a superior system.



When I was young I used to pray for a bike, then I realized that God doesn't work that way, so I stole a bike and prayed for forgiveness.

Care to provide a link and details?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.sagem-ds.com/pdf/en/D1224.pdf

360* Azimut, 140* Elevation.

Now in service with MN NH-90, SIDM and SDTI Drones operational in Afganistan.


You asked for it.

Thunder Supports Rafale
http://rafale.freeforums.org
http://rafale.freeforums.org/rafale-vs-f-16-aerodynamics-compared-t69.html

I see, the headline is very misleading then. Maybe it's a first for L-M but not the world, as there are many other companies builds gyro-stabilized EO/IR cameras for years. One company off the top of my head is Axsys Technologies which was recently acquired by General Dynamics.

V9 Multi-sensor



V14 MSII


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How does that Compare with the Infra-red Sensor on a hand launched UAV ?

---

Can still be a workd first depending on the drone's size.

"Combat_Master)
How does that Compare with the Infra-red Sensor on a hand launched UAV ?"

Good thinking.

This one is in service with our REccons and Artillery but apparently the IR sensors is FLIR, not gimbaled.

Thunder Supports Rafale
http://rafale.freeforums.org
http://rafale.freeforums.org/rafale-vs-f-16-aerodynamics-compared-t69.html

A Turkish Company Vestel also (2007) developed its own Compact 360' degree infrared sensor weighing less the 700 grams..

With decent specs.. Oh and it's a retractable system..

# Width : 90 mm Lenght: 100 mm
# Height : 120 mm Height (extended position): 180 mm
# Weight (including camera) : 0,65 kg
# Temperature : -20º to + 50º
# Power consumption : < 6W at 12V <br>
Night Camera
# Focal plane array material : Amorphous silicon
# Structure : Micro-bolometer
# Format : 160x120 pixel array
# Spectral response : 7-14 µm (filter bandwidth)
# Thermal sensitivity : $50 mK

Range to detect human activity
# 11º FOV: Up to 1500 (475m)
# 11º FOV: Up to 1000 (305m)




http://www.vestelsavunma.com/eng/images/media/pdf/Gimbal.pdf

---

But the real breakthrough comes from the development of multi-bandwidth and bandwidth substraction to give the IR sensors a much higher performances in bad weather.

So far, only France have managed that, and the rest is a good two technologies cycles behind, = more or less 12 years in R&D and developement.

Now i'm sure you can see why we are laughing at F-35...

Thunder Supports Rafale
http://rafale.freeforums.org
http://rafale.freeforums.org/rafale-vs-f-16-aerodynamics-compared-t69.html

^^^Sadly, you're the only person laughing at F-35. You simply have way too much pride for anything built in France. Sadly enough, the world is laughing at Rafale as it still hasn't managed to get a sale and practically has to PAY Brazil to operate the Rafale. Now THAT's funny

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WE ARE LAUGHING.

NOT ONE DESIGNER IN THE HISTORY OF AVIATION HAVE MAHAGED TO MAKE SUCH A MESS OF AN UNDERPERFORMANT AIRCRAFT. LOL!

WE already have BETTER and MORE performant at home and YES we're proud of it, we also have a far more advanced IR technology that makes a mokery of your VMC LIMITED systems because comes 2015 your bomb truck will be a turkey.

You got it?

LOL!

Thunder Supports Rafale
http://rafale.freeforums.org
http://rafale.freeforums.org/rafale-vs-f-16-aerodynamics-compared-t69.html

More advanced IR Technology? According to who? Yourself? LOL! Who rated France first? Of course, the French. Yes, so it must be true. Show me a French IR system that totally eclipses ours.

WE already have BETTER and MORE performant at homew and YES we're proud of it, we also have a far more advanced IR technology that makes amokery of your VMC LIMITED systems because comes 2015 your bomb truck will be a turkey.

ROFL so proud that you have not a single country willing to buy it. So proud that it took Sarkozy to bend over to Lula in order to guarantee a sale. Not only that you will have to buy some of their crap along with it. So proud that Brazilian defense officials wanted something else rather than Rafale, which is why they were infuriated with Lula's sudden public announcement.

Go ahead and drink up that champagne boy, notice there's nobody to your left and right.




----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't quite see how this constitutes a first, IR turrets are hardly new. Even a constant 360* camera wouldn't exactly be amazing, it would either by through optics which would be pretty basic and quite unlikely or through 3 or 4 arrays with their images mixed together which is pretty simple (if you're someone like LM, BAE ect). More likely though it's just a turret with an IR camera in it, even the local police force have those!


"He lives in a world where concept is reality..."

I once lived in France,
but left for Angleterre,
I dream up flying in planes,
and invent some sources too,
but when it comes to proving it,
it's Tampax down the drain!

"marking the first time a small UAS has flown with a 360-degree infrared sensor. "

I think the headlines should've been something relevant along those lines.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"NintendoGamer76)
More advanced IR Technology? According to who?"

L-M: Single bandwidth Visual Meteorologic Conditions Limited = EOTS/EODAS.

French sources including gouvernement:

Multi-bandwidth, bandwidth subtraction All-weather/long-range, pixel-powered sensors.

AND: A couple of WORLD FIRST and technology breakthrough to prove it.

= That absence puts American fighters behind an important curve.
F-18 Super Hornets to Get IRST
19-May-2009 09:31 EDT
Defense Industry Dayly.

As oppose to YOU MORON, i DONT need to INVENT myself anything, i got all i need including an education, both civilian and military as well as an industry which doesn't BRAG about capabilties which are not even developed yet to get someone to buy our aircrafts.



"NintendoGamer76)
ROFL so proud that you have not a single country willing to buy it."

Blah-di-Blah. That makes the Mig-21 the best airplane ever designed, now cry us a river because Rafale will sell on its own merits.



"NintendoGamer76)
Go ahead and drink up that champagne boy, notice there's nobody to your left and right".

You BET i will as i was SAYING we got MORE performant, CHEAPER with more advanced technologies on tap and you're wrong, lots of people are going to drink up, all those who are not going to get conned by the US industries and us...







Thunder Supports Rafale
http://rafale.freeforums.org
http://rafale.freeforums.org/rafale-vs-f-16-aerodynamics-compared-t69.html

Wrong as usual, Just about all of the technologies on F-35 are newer and MORE advanced than Rafale, FACT. If you wanna turn this into another F-35 vs Rafale fight, let's go. Open a new thread and title it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TROLL ATTACK.

LOL Marc, you are a clown.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VMC LIMITED vs ALL-WEATER/LONG-RANGE.

SINGLE BANDWIDTH vs MULTI-BANDWIDTH (which everyone knows to improve weather independency).

= That absence puts American fighters behind an important curve.
F-18 Super Hornets to Get IRST
19-May-2009 09:31 EDT
Defense Industry Dayly.

VMC LIMITED.

ALL-WEATHER/LONG-RANGE.

DATE:09/06/99
SOURCE:Flight International
Seeker gets on track
The Rafale's electro-optic sensors, the aircraft's 'eyes' will provide a valuable supplement to the radar and together will give the crew a detailed all-weather view...
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1999/06/09/51953/seeker-gets-on-track.html

all-weather developed since 1991 and fielded in 1999.

The infrared scanner works in the 3-5mn and 8-12mn bands, providing a 3-5mn capability for the first time in the west, says Thomson Optronique commercial director Jean-Claude Vergnères. This wavelength provides "considerably better detection capability in humid conditions", he adds.

CLEAR ENOUGH?

MASTRID permettra également daméliorer à terme les capacités de détection et didentification tous temps..
http://www.defense.gouv.fr/dga/votre_espace/presse/communiques/2009/plan_de_relance_etude_d_un_pod_de_designation_laser_de_nouvelle_generation

MASTRID will also eventually improve the capacity of detection and identification in all-weather...

OF AN ALREADY EXISTING POD.

You're such an IGNORANT RETARD...


As for design...

Last L-M design revue, they can't even comprehend what they do with their aerodymaincs. LOL!

About Rafale performances:
Caractéristiques du Rafale M

Envergure : 10,90 mètres
Surface alaire : 46 m²
Longueur : 15,27 mètres
Hauteur : 5,34 mètres
Masses :

à vide : 10 196 kg
maximale : 24 000 kg
Vitesse maximale : Mach 1,8 (1 290 noeuds) = 1.484 mp/h = M 1.947 at 30.000 ft, M 2.057 at 15.000 ft corrected airspeed EAS.
Vitesse d'approche : 120 noeuds
Temps de patrouille : supérieure à 3 heures
Plafond : 50 000 pieds
Distance franchissable : 1 000 nautiques
http://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/decouverte/equipements/aeronefs/rafale_m

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/mach.html

Supercruise.

Just in case you PUNK come over bitching about the max speed.

MAch 1.8 is not the DASH Mach, for F-35 Mach 1.6 IS the designed Max Mach.

UP YOURS.


Thunder Supports Rafale
http://rafale.freeforums.org
http://rafale.freeforums.org/rafale-vs-f-16-aerodynamics-compared-t69.html